Three rounds into the 2026 Formula 1 season, a new name sits at the top of the drivers’ standings—and it is one that signals a generational shift. F1Technical’s senior writer Balazs Szabo looks at the standings before the action resumes at next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 19‑year‑old Mercedes rookie, has surged into the championship lead with 72 points, becoming the youngest driver ever to head the Formula 1 World Championship.
His opening phase of the season has been nothing short of remarkable: two victories in China and Japan, backed by a strong points haul in Australia, have established him as the early benchmark in a field stacked with experience and proven race winners.
Mercedes’ early‑season form has been defined by consistency, and Antonelli’s teammate George Russell sits second on 63 points, just nine behind.
Russell’s podium finishes—including a win in Melbourne—have helped Mercedes secure a commanding early presence at the front. The intra‑team dynamic is already one of the most compelling storylines of 2026: the seasoned race winner versus the prodigious newcomer who has adapted to F1 machinery with startling speed.
Behind the Mercedes duo, Charles Leclerc holds third place on 49 points, buoyed by a strong podium finish in Melbourne and Suzuka, but hampered by a difficult weekend in China.
Lewis Hamilton follows in fourth with 41 points, his season built on steady scoring and his first podium finish with Ferrari in Shanghai. McLaren’s Lando Norris, after a non‑classification in China, bounced back with a strong Japanese Grand Prix to climb to 25 points, while Oscar Piastri sits on 21 after three consistent but unspectacular rounds.
Further down the order, the early season has produced a mix of breakthroughs and frustrations. Oliver Bearman’s 17 points reflect a promising start to his first full campaign, while Pierre Gasly’s 15 and Max Verstappen’s 12 underline how unpredictable the midfield has become.
Liam Lawson sits on 10 points, and Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad has already opened his account with 4 from Australia. Isack Hadjar also sits on 4, thanks to a strong showing in China.
The lower half of the table tells a different story. Several established names—Nico Hülkenberg, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Fernando Alonso—remain on zero points, each struggling with machinery that has yet to show competitive promise. Lance Stroll, meanwhile, has not classified in any of the opening races, leaving him as the only driver without a race finish so far.
